Wonders of CatfishThere are many types catfish, fresh water and salt, small and large. i will go over the most common 3 and 2 interesting types.

The Channel catfish, common across America and it has been introduced as a sport fish in parts of Europe. It commonly grows to about 3 feet although bigger has been recorded. catfish prefer 75 degree water (Also spawning temperature) although because of there adaptive abilities they can survive in hotter and colder. They become sexually mature at 12 inches (3-6) years. In Wild conditions Juvenile Channel cats eat insects while adults eat insects, mollusks and fish. The larger channel cats can even eat crustaceans like fresh water crabs and crayfish. Channel cats has poisonous spines on there side and top fins (excluding top fin and base of tail) Although the poison isn't lethal it is very painful. As catfish are very docile they make great pond conpanions for gold fish (large variations of gold fish that grow to an Foot.) If you invest time, you can train your catfish to hand feed!

Blue catfish

Blue catfish is far larger than the Channel cat... almost a foot larger! As Blue cats happily thrive brackish waters they can live in areas such as bays and some coastal waters- places that most catfish can't like to live in. as they like slow water they dislike fast water as it can disorientate them. they are found in dominantly southern and eastern waters in America such as South Carolina and Virginia. they eat similar things that the channel cat eats but it can ambush frogs and catch striped bass. oddly the blue catfish is slightly less common then the Channel catfish

Flathead Catfish

The flathead catfish is one of the largest catfish, they are an monumental 5 1/2 feet long and can eat ducks and sport fish such as trout, bass and carp. Not much is known about this illusive catfish, its diet, spawning habits and habitat range is fairly unknown. Most catfish are not full carnivores although the flathead seems to be one of the only. Sadly the flat head catfish doesn't have any other living species in the genus Pylodictis.

Electric Catfish

These cats are found in the Africa and the Nile river. As its name suggest, it can create an electric shock up to 350 volts using electroplaques in an electric organ. they grow an modest 3.2 feet- slightly bigger than an channel cat. they hunt by ambushing and electrifying prey (they only use 350 volts for defense) such as small fish. Unlike other catfish they lack dorsal fins and fin spines.

Baby Mekong catfish in an breeding program

The Mekong catfish is the largest growing fresh water catfish in the world. they critically endangered- Although it is illegal to fish for them, loose regulations allow for them to be still taken unrightfully in remote locations. Almost nothing is know about them. due to over fishing and toxic water (sewage, trash and farming pesticides are in most river systems in china and surrounding country's.) they live in rivers (Mekong river) the Mekong has very small barbs around there mouth and grows to 9ft but lots are far larger. in just 14 years the Mekong catfish population has decreased by 80% many breeding programs exist but they are hard to operate as they need constant deep water that is flowing.